Academic Support
Your success as a graduate student at Valparaiso University begins with New Graduate Student Orientation, and continues with your close collaboration with faculty and advisors as you proceed in your coursework. In addition to the excellent instruction provided by your faculty, the following resources are available to all graduate students to help you make the most of your academic experience at Valpo.
GRAD 500 is a required academic success course or all new international students to complete during their first semester of enrollment at the Graduate School. This course is designed to introduce them to the American higher education system, academic integrity, resources on campus, design of a research paper and presentation, and graduate coursework expectations. This course may be replaced by another required course if the replacement course can demonstrate that it meets the same learning objectives and experiences as Graduate Academic Success and with recommendation by the advisor and with approval by the dean of the Graduate School.
The Christopher Center Library offers a variety of services including interlibrary loan, instruction by library staff, archives and special collections, and more. For more information, visit the Library web page
The writing expectations for graduate students at Valpo are high–you will write many papers, and you are expected to write them professionally and with articulation. New and continuing graduate students at Valpo may benefit from the on-campus Writing Center. They can help you with writing assignments from any discipline by offering strategies, questions, guidance — and just by listening. Our goal is for you to become a credible, more confident writer who is able to make the best choices in any writing situation. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit the Writing Center web page.
The Language Resource Center provides tutoring and other resources for language study as well as opportunities for authentic language use through conversation programs, enrichment activities, and other exchanges. The LRC, located in the Arts and Sciences Building in the center of campus, is housed in a new facility which opened its doors for the first time in August 2012. Students will discover a welcoming setting with a global focus where all Valpo language learners, including international students, can cultivate intercultural understanding and connections. For more information, visit the Language Resource Center web page.
Graduate tutoring is coordinated with program directors and made available across program content areas to serve the academic needs of all graduate students. The “Fourth-Hour” tutoring option is specifically available to international students taking introductory courses to help cultivate and develop professional vocabulary and spoken English language proficiency within a specific discipline. If a graduate student expresses interest in additional one-on-one tutoring for a particular class, an attempt will be made by the Graduate School to find someone to help.